While many expectant mothers meticulously plan their childbirth, life can have other plans. A woman recounted her ‘unexpected’ birth story on Reddit, revealing how she went into labour at her friend’s house and ended up giving birth on the sofa.
Unfortunately, her friend wasn’t too pleased with the turn of events and subsequently billed her for the ‘damage’ caused. The new mum wrote on Reddit: “I have a close friend group consisting of seven women (including myself). We’re all around the same age (26-32). Some of us have known each other since we were wee kids, so some are closer than others.
“We do girl’s night about every month but decided to keep it chill and do a movie night at Ella’s house seeing as myself and Sarah are pregnant. I was at 36 weeks at the time. I had been having some discomfort for some days (nothing I wasn’t told was completely normal) when things suddenly got kicked up a big notch.
“Things got a bit hazy from there, but I went from discomfort to active labour in a short time. I didn’t feel comfortable moving at that point so someone called our version of 911.” Despite the chaos, with the assistance of an emergency medical technician (EMT), she safely delivered her baby on the living room sofa while her friends, except for her nurse friend Grace, were asked to leave the room.
However, ever since she gave birth, her friend Ella has been acting “cold” toward her – and has now presented her with a bill for a new couch. Detailing the events, she said: “She’s the only one who hasn’t come by. When I apologised and thanked her, she sent me a bill for the sofa. I don’t mind paying at all but it still felt kinda harsh. Sarah and some of the others said she was upset I and the EMT sent her outside.”
Reflecting on the turmoil, she expressed her feelings about the situation, noting: “I love those girls, but I already was in a panic, and having all of them there was just too much. Ella seems really hurt though? Sarah and Grace mentioned she at first didn’t want to leave (I don’t remember this) as it’s her house, that she wanted to be there when the baby was born. Apparently Sarah’s the one who told her it’s not about her now, and got her out.”
In seeking guidance from the internet, she added: “I don’t really know how to fix this. I feel guilty, my wife says I shouldn’t. How do I go about all this?” Social media users weighed in with their advice on her predicament, with one person commenting: “I’m surprised you didn’t offer to pay for the sofa after the fact. Pay her for the sofa and set up a time to talk to her directly. Make it clear you want to hash it out and clear the air. Maybe try and schedule a time to pay her in person so you can talk then.”
Another user remarked: “I mean, you couldn’t control when you went into labour, but it is on you to pay for her couch.” A third commentator shared: “I had an unplanned home birth. A friend suggested I call the insurance company. It turns out accidental damage included damage from amniotic fluid and I got a new sofa.”